


What's The Big Deal?

by madcapdragonshenanigans



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Modern AU, Much Ado About Nothing AU, modern much ado about nothing, that is all you need to know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-10 04:10:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3276203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madcapdragonshenanigans/pseuds/madcapdragonshenanigans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I just received an email from my friend Howard.  He’s invited the three of us to his party tonight, to celebrate his return,” Jarvis said, bouncing slightly as he walked.  </p><p>“Oh good,” Peggy said sarcastically, putting the coffee pot down and beginning to put sugar in her coffee.  </p><p>“He sent me guest list, in case you want to know who’s going to be there,” her uncle said before picking up the coffee pot himself.  </p><p>-</p><p>Agent Carter Much Ado About Nothing au.  Featuring Peggy Carter as Beatrice and Angie Martinelli as Benedick.  You're welcome.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Party?  Really?

**Author's Note:**

> DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> HOWARD STARK (DON PEDRO), Prince of Arragon  
> JACK THOMPSON (DON JOHN), his bastard brother.  
> DANIEL SOUSA (CLAUDIO), a young lord of Florence.  
> ANGIE MARTINELLI (BENEDICK), a young lady of Padua.  
> EDWIN JARVIS (LEONATO), governor of Messina.  
> PEGGY CARTER (BEATRICE), niece to Edwin.  
> DOTTIE (HERO), daughter to Edwin.  
> BLATHASAR, attendant to Howard.  
> CONRAD, a follower of Jack.  
> BORRIS, also a follower of Jack.  
> FRIAR FRANCIS  
> DOOLY (DOGBERRY), a constable.  
> VERGES, a headborough  
> MAGGIE, one of Dottie’s maids.  
> URSULA, another of Dottie’s maids.  
>  

 

Peggy was leaned against the kitchen table in a bored fashion. She had had a late night the night before, and her first coffee had done nothing for her head ache. She was working on pouring her second when her uncle Jarvis walked into the kitchen. 

 

“I just received an email from my friend Howard.  He’s invited the three of us to his party tonight, to celebrate his return,” Jarvis said, bouncing slightly as he walked.

 

“Oh good,” Peggy said sarcastically, putting the coffee pot down and beginning to put sugar in her coffee. 

 

“He sent me guest list, in case you want to know who’s going to be there,” her uncle said before picking up the coffee pot himself.

 

Peggy simple finished putting sugar in her coffee and didn’t reply.

 

“He mentioned one young man last time we spoke, Daniel I think. Poor fellow lost a leg in the war, and Howard thinks very highly of him,” Jarvis tried again. 

 

Peggy stirred her coffee thoughtfully before speaking. “I met him once. Nice fellow, good with his cane. Is Martinelli going to be there?”

 

“Who?” her uncle asked as Peggy’s cousin Dottie walked in, still in her pajamas.

 

“She means Angie dad.  Angie Martinelli, you know, the actress?” Dottie said, grabbing an apple from the counter.

 

“Oh yes!  Yes she’ll be there, why do you ask?” Jarvis asked, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

 

“I just have bet to settle her.  About how many audition’s she’d be rejected from before we’d see each other again. She is so very stuck up,” Peggy said, taking another big sig of coffee. 

 

“You’re just saying that ‘cause you like her and you don’t want to,” Dottie teased through a mouth full of apple. 

 

“I do not!  I can’t stand her! She is rude, and obnoxious, she think’s far to highly of herself, and she talks far too much!” Peggy insisted, nearly choking on her coffee at her cousin’s teasing. 

 

Dottie merely snorted and rolled her eyes. 

 

“Hush now the pair of you.  Peggy, Angie is a lovely girl and you shouldn’t be so rude about her. I’m sure you’ll see her later tonight,” Jarvis said, smelling the fight that was threatening to break out.

 

“She is good actress though, I can’t deny that,” Peggy said quietly, almost to herself. 

 

“She’s good at a lot of things,” Dottie said with a sly grin, and Peggy shot her a look.  “She has many good qualities, not just the bad ones you mentioned.” 

 

“True. But, everyone does. We’re all human,” Peggy said, brushing off Dottie’s statement. 

 

Peggy and Dottie both realized that Jarvis was utterly at a loss in their conversation. 

 

“Sorry dad.  It’s just that Peggy and Angie have this sort of sass off going on between them.  They don’t meet often, but it’s like a competition that their mutual friends are judging.  It’s quite fun actually,” Dottie explained hurriedly. 

 

Jarvis nodded, humoring the two girls. 

 

“It really isn’t fair on Angie though.  The poor girl really isn’t at my level,” Peggy sighed over dramatically.

 

Dottie rolled her eyes. 

 

“One thing I don’t understand about her is how she goes through men so quickly. She changes them almost as often as she changes clothes!” Peggy said, changing the focus slightly.

“Are you jealous Peggy?” Dottie asked with a giggle. 

 

“I would sooner shave my hair off then date that woman! Do either of you know if she has a new young man who has fallen prey to her charms?” Peggy asked, putting her near empty mug down. 

 

“If I remember correctly, I seem to recall her spend quite an amount of time with Daniel,” Jarvis said, taking a sip of his coffee finally.

 

Dottie nearly choked on her apple. 

 

“Good god, he would be better off with chicken pox, or something like that! She will drive him to insanity no doubt! Lord help him if he truly is dating Angie, he will need it,” Peggy said, patting Dottie on the back to help dislodge the piece of apple. 

 

“Are you truly never going to date?” Jarvis asked once Dottie could breath again, changing the subjected. 

 

“Not until a hot January,” Peggy said, finishing the last of her coffee.

 

Just then, the doorbell rang. 

 

“Who would be calling at this hour?” Peggy asked, placing her mug on the counter. 

 

“I’ll answer it,” Jarvis said turning to leave the kitchen.

 

Peggy and Dottie shared a look and followed him down into the front hall and waited behind him as he opened the door.  Behind it stood Howard Stark, his bastard brother Jack Thompson (Peggy couldn’t stand him), Daniel Sousa, Angie Martinelli (who had the nerve to wink at her from behind Howard’s back), and Balthasar, one of Howard’s assistants.

 

“So,” Howard began with a large grin.  “My house apparently was scheduled for renovation today, so my party doesn’t have venue.  I was wondering if I could maybe use your place?”

 

“I assume you’ve already told everyone that it’s here now already?” Jarvis asked, not bothering to answer Howard’s question. 

“You don’t mind do you?” Howard said, having enough decency to at least try and look embarrassed. 

 

“Of course not my friend,” Jarvis said beginning to laugh, and Howard pulled her uncle into a tight hug. 

 

“So is this your daughter?” Howard asked when he had released Jarvis, and the whole lot of them were making their way back though the hallway and into the kitchen. 

 

“My wife assures me that, yes, she is indeed mine,” Jarvis replied when they were all inside the kitchen. 

 

“Why would her being yours be up for debate?” Angie asked, leaning over the kitchen table, and Peggy had to try to not to stare at the younger woman’s cleavage. 

 

“Well she’s sure as hell ain’t mine!” Howard laughed, giving Dottie another once over, making her blush happily. 

 

Angie rolled her eyes.  “What I meant was that Dottie looks a lot like Edwin here.  It would be almost impossible for them not to be related.”

 

“They aren’t listening to you anymore you know,” Peggy said, sliding closer to Angie. 

 

“Oh hey it’s Miss Sarcasm!  Still here are you?” Angie said with a grin that didn’t match her bitter words.

 

Peggy ignored the snide remark.  “I did plan on trying to be polite with you, but it seems that we are destined to always fight.”

 

“Destiny is fickle friend English.  You see, everyone I meet loves me, except for you.  I mean I fool around a bit, but I don’t actually love them, but I am however fascinated by you,” Angie said with a smirk, and Peggy knew now that she was flashing her cleavage on purpose. 

 

“Well it is mercy that you don’t love anyone, because I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.  I would much rather have a wolf scratch out my eardrums than hear a man say he loves me,” Peggy said, giving Angie a smirk of her own. 

 

“I’m not a man remember,” Angie said with a wink. 

 

“You’re about as subtle as one,” Peggy teased, grinning maliciously.

 

“Well aren’t you the queen of humor!”

 

Peggy grinned and said nothing, with simply infuriated Angie.

 

“If I had a knife I sharp as your tongue, I’d be able to cut through stone,” Angie said quietly, seemingly impressed with Peggy. 

 

Peggy was about to respond with a comment with what, exactly, her tongue was capable of, when Howard started speaking. 

 

“Friends! My dear friend Jarvis has just informed me that we can all stay here until the renovations are over with! I’ve promised that we won’t stay more than a month, and that we won’t get into trouble, so, _behave_!” Howard said, and Peggy heard Angie whisper “No promises.”

 

“I doubt that you’ll be able to keep that promise Howard,” Jarvis said before speaking to Howard’s half-brother.  “I do apologize, but I think I forgot to bid you welcome. I don’t think we’ve met formally, but I have heard many things about you.” Peggy’s uncle shook Thompson’s hand thoroughly as he said this. 

 

“Thank you, I too have heard wonderful things about you from my brother,” Jack Thompson said, releasing Jarvis’s hand. 

 

Peggy felt her skin crawl at the man’s voice.  She really didn’t like Thompson. 

 

“You wished to discuss something, correct?” Jarvis asked, turning back to Howard. 

 

“Oh yes!  Come with me!” Howard said, clapping Jarvis on the back as they headed out of the kitchen and towards her uncle’s study. 

 

“If you’ll excuse me I have things to attend to,” Peggy said, standing up straight and heading out of the kitchen before anyone could object.

 

She could tell that it was going to be a long day. 

 

 


	2. The Most Beautiful Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel asks Angie and Howard for advice about how to ask Dottie out. It gets a little out of hand.

Angie climbed the stairs to the second floor landing, dragging her suitcase behind her.  She had been hoping, when Howard had invited her to stay, that she would have been able to makeup with Peggy for whatever it was that she had done to make her mad, but apparently not. Angie let out a puff of frustration when she reached the top. 

 

“Miss Martinelli?” Daniel said, climbing the stairs awkwardly behind her.

 

Angie smiled at him to acknowledge his presence, then look back down at the first floor where Dottie and Peggy were immersed in a deep conversation.

 

“Do you think Dottie’s pretty?” Daniel asked, joining her at the bannister.

 

“She’s not really my type,” Angie said, eyes trailing briefly to Dottie on the first floor. 

 

“But she is pretty?” Daniel insisted, looking at Angie intently.

 

“Are you asking me as a girl, or as someone who likes girls?” Angie asked, focusing on Daniel again. 

 

“I just want your honest opinion.” 

 

“Well,” Angie began, taking a hard look at the girl in question. “She’s tall, she’s blonde, and she’s got a slim build if that’s what you’re into, but in all fairness she’s got a lanky look about her.  I’m sure she’s beautiful to someone.”

 

“You’re holding something back.  Tell me what you really think,” Daniel said, pursing his lips slightly.

 

“You like her?” Angie asked with a slight grin. 

 

“I don’t think I’d ever be worthy of her,” Daniel said honestly, puffing out a small breath of air. 

 

“Nonsense. So how do you feel about her?” Angie asked, pleased with this turn of events. 

 

“I think she is the most wonderful woman I have ever met,” Daniel said with a rather dopey expression on his face. 

 

“I think you have love goggles on my friend.  Thankfully, I don’t have to deal with those pesky things. Now her cousin, Peggy, is as beautiful as anyone could ever be, but she has a temper far greater, making her positively unlovable.  One has to admit it when someone has flaws.  You aren’t planning on becoming a husband are you?” Angie asked, struck by a sudden thought.

 

“If I would marry anyone it would be her,” Daniel said, looking at Angie briefly before looking back at Dottie. 

 

Angie closed her eyes for a moment.  _Why am I surrounded by a bunch of love-struck idiots?_

 

“It’s come to this?  Am I the only person over the age of twenty-five who doesn’t want to get married? Sometimes I wonder what the world is coming to- Oh hey Stark!” this last part was addressed to Howard Stark who had just come down the hall. 

 

“Keeping secrets?” Howard asked with a grin, leaning on the bannister next to Angie. 

 

“Sorry Stark, can’t do,” Angie said with a grin. 

 

“Come on Ang!” Howard whined comically. 

 

Angie looked at Daniel for permission, which he gave. 

 

 

“Well I can’t keep a secret to save my life anyways.  Daniel here is in love with none other than Dottie, Jarvis’s daughter,” Angie said turning so her back was leaning against the railing.

 

“It’s true,” Daniel supplied lamely. 

 

“It’s kinda pathetic,” Angie said rolling her eyes. 

 

“It doesn’t change the fact that I love her,” Daniel said defensively.

 

“Thank god you love her.  She is very deserving of love,” Howard said, surprising Angie in his seriousness.

 

“You’re just trying to butter me up,” Daniel said, obviously not believing Stark.

 

“I speak only the truth,” Howard sad before taking a drink from the glass of scotch in his hand that Angie hadn’t noticed before. How he always managed to find alcohol Angie didn’t know. 

 

“As did I,” Daniel said, nodding to Stark in respect.

 

“Truth is the only thing I can speak around you idiots,” Angie said, heaving a long-suffering sigh. 

 

“When I look at her I feel this ach in my chest,” Daniel said quietly, looking back down at Dottie, who was now giggling about something with Peggy.

 

“You two deserve each other, truly,” Howard said, tilting his glass at Sousa.

 

“I honestly don’t understand what the pair of you go on about sometimes."

 

“You may be gorgeous Angie, but you are such a pessimist sometimes,” Howard said with a mock scowl. 

 

Daniel muttered something Angie couldn’t quite catch. 

 

“I am how I am do to both nature and nurture, and I thank my mother for raising me, and I love her to pieces, but I blame her for many things, including why I shall never get married.  I love women, but I can’t trust them, or distrust them even, because I myself am a woman, and therefore I shall remain single,” Angie said in frustration, looking back and forth between her friends. 

 

“Before I die, I aim to see you love sick,” Howard promised with a sly grin, taking another sip of his drink. 

 

“I will be sick with hunger, sick with anger, or sick with the flu, but never sick with love.  I would rather have my eyes scratched out with a ball point pen then fall in love,” Angie replied haughtily, shaking back her curly hair. 

 

“If you ever fall in love I reserve the right to say ‘I told you so,’” Howard said, pointing his glass at her. 

 

“If I ever fall in love you should lock me in an insane asylum,” Angie said seriously, giving Stark a pointed look. 

 

“Well, as they say, ‘In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke,’” Howard quipped, finishing off his scotch. 

 

“The bull might, but hell will freeze over before you can say ‘Angie Martinelli is a married woman,’” Angie said as the two men burst into laughter.

 

“I think if you ever got married you’d go insane,” Daniel said when the laughter died down, fighting back tears of mirth. 

 

“Nah, I’ll see our great Angie Martinelli fall in love yet. I have a feeling that it will be so great that the very earth shall tremble!” Stark declared dramatically.

 

“What? Are we expecting an earthquake?” Angie said sarcastically. 

 

“Well at least you have a sense of humor.  Here,” Howard said, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket.  “I forgot to give this to Jarvis, would you mind taking it to him?” 

 

“Do I get anything out of it?” Angie said, taking the paper.

 

“A break from our teasing?” 

 

“Ha ha.  You two should think about your priorities before examining mine,” Angie said, sticking the piece of paper into her own pocket and turning to leave.  “Oh!  Stark can you take my suitcase to my room?”

 

“Sure thing doll,” Howard said, raising his empty glass in her direction.

 

“See ya!” Angie waved; rolling her eyes once her back was turned.

 

\---

 

“Stark, would it be possible to teach me how to you know, talk to Dottie?” Daniel asked once Angie was out of sight. 

 

“My friend,” Howard said, putting an arm around Daniel. “There is nothing I would like to do more.” 

 

“The last time I spoke to Dottie, I did not believe in love. I was enamored with her, sure, but I didn’t think I loved her.  Now, I see I do. If loosing my leg taught me one thing it’s to appreciate what you have, while you have it, and to not take thing for granted,” Daniel said wistfully, watching Dottie walk out of his line of sight, arm in arm with Peggy. 

 

“You’ll learn quickly my friend, love is a blessing and you should cherish it. Now, I’ll tell you what, I’ll speak with her and her father, and you’ll be married by the end of the month!” Stark declared, nearly dropping his glass. 

 

“I don’t want to appear to forward Howard, I mean, we’ve only met a few time!” Daniel tried to backtrack and failed. 

 

“The party is a masquerade!  I shall speak to her, pretending to be you!  I’ll win her heart for you, speak to her father, and the deal will be set! If this works you two should be married by the end of the week!” Howard said excitedly, tapping Daniel on the chest harder than he had meant to. 

 

Daniel sighed, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

 

 


	3. A Brief Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thompson is bored, and decides mischief is the best remedy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a short chapter. Don't worry, the next will be longer.

Jack let out a short groan.  Why he had agreed to come was beyond him, he didn’t even like his half brother, let alone his brother’s friends. He cracked one eye open when he heard his assistant Conrad enter his room. 

 

“What’s wrong Thompson?” Conrad asked, leaning against the wall.

 

“I’m bored.  And annoyed,” Thompson said, closing his eyes again. 

 

“You should here yourself talk sometimes,” Conrad scoffed.

 

“What would I do if I did?” Thompson asked, bringing his hands to his temple and rubbing it. 

 

“You’d understand why I’m fed up with you sometimes,” Conrad said, waving a hand vaguely. 

 

“I am not one to pretend.  I speak only what I mean, only when I care to say it, not when someone else would wish me to. You wouldn’t understand,” Thompson grunted, opening one eye and looking pointedly at Conrad.

 

“You should at least make an appearance for your brother’s sake. You’ve only recently gotten into his good graces, so you should at least try and stay there for a while.” Conrad shrugged. 

 

Jack snorted.  “I don’t care if my brother likes me or not.  I was born to make trouble, so that’s what I’m going to do.  I am wicked in my ways and no one can change that.”

 

“Can’t you do anything about your boredom?” Conrad asked, rolling his eyes slightly. 

 

“I can, and I will.  I’m just waiting for the right opportunity.” He sat up finally, crossing his legs and opening his eyes. 

 

There was a knock at the door. 

 

“Come in,” Jack said, running one hand through his hair.

 

Jack’s other assistant, Boris, entered the room calmly, with a slight swagger about him that said he’d just found out something interesting.

 

“Anything interesting?” Thompson asked impatiently. 

 

“The dinner downstairs has just begun, but I overheard a delicious conversation between Edwin Jarvis and your brother,” Boris said with a mischievous grin. 

 

Thompson merely cocked an eyebrow. 

 

“There’s going to be a wedding!” 

 

“Oh this is wonderful.  Who?” Thompson asked, standing up thoroughly intrigued. 

 

“Daniel.”

 

“Who’s he marrying?” 

 

“None other than Dottie, Edwin’s daughter.  But that’s not the best part!”

 

“Continue,” Thompson said, sitting back down and placing his chin in his hands.

 

“I over heard your brother and Daniel earlier, talking on the landing. Stark is going to woo Dottie for Daniel, as the poor lad doesn’t know how,” Boris said happily, looking very pleased with himself. 

 

This gave Thompson an idea. 

 

“This maybe just the thing I was hoping for.  I feel like dinner is in order.” And with this he stood up again, and headed to the door. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at like midnight so please don't judge me too badly. Constructive feedback is appreciated, and so is praise (or whatever)
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.


End file.
